Screw-driver.



J. L. ROLLINS'.

SOREW DRIVER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1907.

Patented Nov.3, 1908.

Josep/@L JOSEPH L. ROLLINS, OE AUGUSTA, MAINE.

SCREW-DRIVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Application filed February 16, 1907. -Serial No. 357,683.

To-all whom it 4may concern.'

Be it v.known that JOSEPH L. Romans, a citizen of the United States, residing at Augusta, rin the county of Kennebec and State of'Maine, have invented new and useful improvements in Screw-Drivers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to'screw drivers of the ratchet type, and has for its objects to provide a comparatively simple, inexpensive device of this character with two sets or pairs of ratchets whichmay be independently thrown into action at will to adapt the device respectively for entering and removing screws, one wherein the ratchet-s may be locked in inactive position, and one wherein the movable ratchet-s will be acted upon by a common actuating spring.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the .novel Vfeatures of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying` drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a screw driver embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken centrally and longitudinally therethrough. Fig. Sis a detail view in elevation of a portion of the shank, showing the two pairs of ratchets.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the tool embodies a handle 1 provided with a central, longitudinal bore 2 and having fixed on its forward end a tubular metal sleeve or casing 3 provided at one side with a pair of reversely disposed bayonet slots 4 and 5 extended longitudinally of the sleeve and terminating at their inner ends in end portions 6, there being slidably and rotatably mounted on the sleeve over the respective slots collars 7 and 8, while arranged for rotation on the forward end of the sleeve is a tubular bearing section 9 provided with a square or other non-circular opening 10.

Extended centrally and longitudinally through the casing 3 and bore 2 is a tool shank 11 of non-circular form, in cross section to fit the opening 10 and having its forward end shaped to provide a screw engaging head 12, there being tapped onto the rear end of the shank 11 a nut 13 constituting a stop head for a purpose which will presently appear.

Arranged in the casing 3 and respectively adjacent to opposite ends thereof is a pair of fixed ratchets 14 and 15 secured by fastening members or screws 16 and provided with teeth 17, the teeth of one ratchet being pitched reversely to those of the other', while arranged to cooperate respectively with the fixed ratchcts a pair of movable ratchets 1S and 19 having teeth 20 to engage the teeth 17 and provided with marginal, peripheral grooves 21 in which are seated fastening members or screws entered through the collars 7 and 8 and arranged to move respectively in the slots 4 and 5, there being coiled upon the shank 11 between the mov able ratchets 18 and 19 a pressurevspring 2?. designed to act upon both of the ratchets for holding them into cooperative engagement with the ratchets 14 and 15.

rihe tool shank 11, which may be moved longitudinally through the casing for varying the length of the tool, is normally held against movement by means of a thumb screw 24, while the shank is prevented from escaping wholly from the casing by means of the nut 13 which may contact with the fixed ratchet 14.

In practice, and in order to set the device for entering a screw, the sleeve 7 is moved upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow in Eig. 1, thereby carrying the ratchet member 19 out of engagement with the corresponding, iixed ratchet 15 and is finally given a slight turn for carrying the screw Q2 into the portion 6 of the slot 4, thus to hold the ratchet out of engagement. Tie tool is then operated in the usual manner, during which action the ratchet 18, which turns with the shank 11, will upon forward rotation of the tool, move with the ratchet 14 but will, during rearward rotation of the tool, stand with the teeth 17 playing loosely over the teeth 20. On the other hand, to set the device for removing a screw, the sleeve 8 is moved upwardly, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, thus carrying the ratchet 1S out of engagement with the ratchet 14, the movable ratchet being locked in nonengaging position by entrance of the screw 22 into the portion 6 of slot 5. Under these conditions when the handle 1 is rotated from left to right the ratchet 19, which is fixed by movement with the shank 11, will through engagement of the teeth 17 with the teeth 2O move with the ratchet 15, while during rotation of the handle 1 in the reverse direction the teeth 17 will play idly over the teeth 20 and the shank 11 remain stationary. It is to be noted that under this construction the tool may readily set for either entering or removing the screws, and further that in both instances the shank ll will be held for forward rotation with the handle l by one or the other of the pairs of ratchets.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:

l. In a tool of the class described, a handle, a tubular casing extending from and beyond the end thereof, a tool shank extending longitudinally Within the handle and through the casing, a pair of relatively spaced ratchets fastened to and within the casing, a pair of shiftable ratchets arranged for rotation with and adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the shank, means for holding the shiftable ratchets in engagement with the respective .fixed ratchets, and means operable at the side of the casing for moving the shiftable ratchets independently to nonengaging position including collars each having avpin entering an annular groove in the respective clutch.

2. In a tool of the class described, a handle, a tubular casing extending from and beyond the end thereof, a tool shank extending longitudinally within the casing, a pair of relatively spaced ratchets fastened to and within the casing, a pair of movable ratchets arranged for rotation with and adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the shank into and out of engagement with the respective fixed ratchets, a spring disposed between the movable ratchets for pressing the latter in opposite directions into engaging position, and collars encircling the casing and connected with said movable ratchets to shift the latter independently to non-engaging position while permitting the rotation of said ratch ets within the casing.

3. ln a tool of the class described, a hollow handle, a tubular casing extending from and beyond the end thereof, a tool shank cX- tending longitudinally within the casing and handle, a pair of relatively spaced ratchets fastened to and within the casing, a pair of movable ratchets arranged for rotation with and adapted to be shifted lengthwise of the shank into and out of engagement with the respective fixed ratchets, and means adapt ing` said shank to be projected beyond the end of the casing to a greater or less extent and fastened against longitudinal movement, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof, l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH L. ROLLINS.

Wlitnesses S. J. ROBINSON, E. l/V. lVnrrnHoUsn. 

